For
more information contact: greenwichmariners@hotmail.com
Or Phone Wes Eversley (Club President) on 07792456884
Greenwich Open the 2008-09 Campaign with Win
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Photo:www.picsbyvic.co.uk |
On Sunday, November 9th the Greenwich Mariners took to the field under a new look, a new head coach and a new home ground. With many new changes coming into effect ths season the Greenwich Mariners wanted to get back into old habits, winning football games. That is what they did.
After a playoff exit in the first round last year to Southampton another playoff team from last year came to visit. The Royal Holloway Bears came to Avery Hill Park to play, trying to build off the back of a 6-2 season a year ago. The Mariners did not show them any refuge.
On a day that seemed to have most things go Greenwich’s way, the defence started out strong. It held Royal Holloway to a three and out and was led by the returning middle linebacker Leon Williams. Following the first defensive series the Mariners offense took the field. They marched 50 yards on the backs of Wesley Eversley and Emmanuel Mireku. The drive was capped off by a 2-yard touchdown plunge by Eversley.
The defence went back to work and stalled the Royal Holloway offense all day long. They limited the Bears offense to one first down and put the running back corp. under constant pressure. The front seven were dominant with Leon Jackson and Williams benefiting from the grunt work of the Defensive line (including Benno Hurni-Gosman, Hakky Akinyomi, Tendai Trafford, Garreth John and Kerry Gray). Strong safety Dion Andrade also provided speed and power coming up from the secondary. Andre Gles helped out immensely setting up the short field with his 90 yards of punt returns.
With the defence doing everything they were asked to do, the offense needed to bring the game under their control and put points on the board. The Mariners decided that it was to be done mostly on the ground behind the offensive line of Hogan, Sebestyen, Silverio, Iskandarani and Lasowski. Through the remainder of the 1st quarter the Mariners kept the clock moving. With Eversley, Mireku and rookie Michael Warne carrying the ball, the Mariners punched in another 1st quarter touchdown on an Eversley 17 yard dash and he added the extra point.
In the second, it looked like more of the same, a suffocating defence and ground attack. However, in the second quarter Richard Francia did hook up twice with TE Harry Innis for 2 completions for ten yards. But, then it was back to the same. Eversley took the ball to the house on three successive drives. The scores coming from 52, 22 and 28 yards. The last finally bringing the first half to a stop.
As the second half began the Mariners picked up where they left off on the kick return. Holloway kicked to Eversley and on his 11th touch of the day he returned it 75 yards for a touchdown and then extra point. The defence was back on the field and they too showed why they had barely let up any first half yardage forcing the Bears in a three and out.
However, the game ended on a bad note. One of the Royal Holloway players was injured and had to be moved to the hospital. With light becoming dim and the game in hand the coaching staffs decided to call the game.
It was a fantastic win to start the new season and it provided a chance for the rookies and the veterans to see their preseason work take form. The team has a bye week and is preparing for Southampton on the 23rd of November at Home.
MVPS:
Defence: Leon Williams – 9 Tackles, 1 Fumble recovery, 1 pass defended
Offense: Wesley Eversley – 10 carries -201 yards 5 TDs, 1 KO return 75 yds 1 TD
The 2008-09 full regular
season results are shown below:
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